HIGH SCHOOL RE-BUILDING SCHEME.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 April 1918, Page 7

HIGH SCHOOL RE-BUILDING SCHEME.

RECENT DEPUTATION TO JUIN'ISTJJK ATITUiDfi Olf BOARD Eii'PfiIiSENTATIVE RESENTED. A lengthy discussion took place at the meeting of the i\ew i'lymoutli. High School Board on Monday night over the attitude adopted by Mr. 11. Trimble, the Board's representative at a deputation which, in conjunction with the Citizens' L'omnritee that are raising funds to complete the rebuilding of the Hoys' High School, waited on the Minister of .Education at Wellington to ask for a subsidy upon the subscriptions raised. Mr. H. Trimble reported that with Mr. White he had waited on the Minister. On the advice of Mr. A. Morton, it was decided to limit the application to the amount of £2500. The Minister received them cordially, but held out little hope of the application being granted at the prc3ent time, stating that the large amount asked 'for was fatal to success. The Minister stated that lie would bring the matter under the notice of Caibanet, but could not undertake to favorably recommend the grant 'being made. Mr. White's report was read. It had been referred by the Citizens' Committee to the Board. Inter alia, the report stated:—

"In speaking to the business of the deputation, and in reply to the Minister, Mr. Trimble stated he had come at tho last moment and much against his will to represent the Board. Personally he was strongly opposed to any building at the present time, and disclaimed sympathy with any proposals urging still further present expenditure in this direction. He had never believed any money at all could or would be raised in jSfew Plymouth for such purposes, but from what Mr. White had told him that opininion was now changed. If he (Mr. Trimble) were in the position of the Minister he should certainly not grant any more than had already been done at this juncture. The Minister then said that no more than the £IOOO already under consideration could be talked of, and I urged I could not return to Xew Plymouth without having the Minister's assurance tbat at least a thousand would bo granted—that the citizens were in deadly earnest about tho matter — that we realised we already had a good school and an excellent staff. That was the school. We in turn were determined it should be properly housed, and now that building was in progress we must show the Board and the Department that we were prepared to back our determination, and I felt sure the Minister would turn a sympathetic ear to such practical assistance, and seize the opportunity for completing the Board's building scheme at such small cost to the Department. After further discussion Mr- Hanan stated that while he was not prepared to say he would straiglitout recommend increasing the grant already made by £IOOO the representations made on behalf of the Citizens' Committee would have a "straight run" in Cabinet. It is a matter for regret that greater efforts were not made to send a stronger deputation when a matter of such vital importance tp the progress of the province is beforo the Government. I liad gone on private business earlier and was astounded to lind an appointment made and no one else representing the public but myself to keep it." A telegram was received from tho Education Department stating that the Government had decided to take no action at present regarding tho additional assistance towards the new boys' building.

Mr. R. W. D. Piobertson considered that after the position disclosed at the meeting of the Citizens' Committee that afternoon Mr. Trimble should be asked to give his version as regarding what had occurred.

Mr. Trimble said that tlie report was to a certain extent true, but did not tell all that he had said. The deputation went down to Wellington to interview the Minister as to getting a subsidy on moneys raised locally. Tlio question as to whether the Board had expended its money in the past in accordance with the wishes of the Department did not seem to him to be relevant to the rebuilding, nor did the question o£ repayment of the £IGOO. Mr. White misrepresented him when he said that personally he was strongly opposed to rebuilding the school. That was not true. Personally, he was strongly in sympathy with the proposals, and would like to see the whole building scheme gone on with at once- He did not think, however, that this was a good time to appeal to the Minister for further grants, because honestly he did not think that the Miniser would be justified in making them. He did not believe that any money was being raised hero. He had not heard of any money being paid. He could not say that the people here had leeii very anxious to pay out or to put up the school. That, however, was beside the point. "I said that I believed it was not advisable to make any additional grant, but Mr. White assured me that the public were prepared to raise £4OOO and I pointed out that it would bo a good idea for the Minister if he were going to give a grant, to do it now, as the people now appeared willing' to give whereas later on the people wight not be willing to give it." When appointed to the deputation he was distinctly told that ho would not be required to say anything, as others were going from here to do the speaking. He had told Mr. Robertson that he did not wish to go but would prefer that some one else should goThe chairman: Mr. White says that you informed the Minister that you were opposed to any building and would not grant any more money for the purpose. Mr. Trimble: Yes, at the present time, ■but the question as to what I said did not influence the position. It really depended on the amount of money available for secondary schools and the amount they wanted to giVe New Plymouth. He pointed out to the Minister that he had "great faith in the future of tlie school, as for a long time to come it would be the only secondary school in Taranaki, the only one with a boarding school and the only one where the boys and girls were separate, and the school was certainly bound to go ahead. Even if technical high schools were established at Stratford and Hawera it would have no detrimental effect on this school, as unless the present system was altered any boy wishing to take a professional course would have to come to the Jfew Plymouth High School, as it was tlie only school that could prepare them for the examination If the Department established secondary schools at Hawera and Stratford, instead of Technical High Schools, it jnitfht make a difference.

Ho pointed out strongly to the Minister tbat tliere was no reason why the school should jiot continue to go ahead, and lie was met with the old gag, what would be the position if Mr. Moyes left? Though lie admitted that Mr. Moyes was uu exceptionally good man, lie thought that the school would go ahead unless the head master was incompetent. Mr. Kobertson said that the point was that the Board must disassociate itself from, the attiudo aken up by. Mr. Trimble. The Citizens' Committee, who had been working very hard to raise money for building the school, felt very sore over the matter- There was a g<. era! feeling that the Hoard had blundered badly and had undone what the Committee had endeavored toido. They had sent a deputation to Wellington to see what could be done in tlio way of obtaining a subsidy, and they thought that it was a treacherous action on the part of the Board to send a member whose views were opposed to them. When Mr. Trimble left here the speaker felt confident that he would support the Citizens Committee, and do his best on 'behalf of the Board to assist them in obtaining the subsidy. The Board was now met with the double onus of explaining to tin; Committee that those were not the'.) views and also of disassociating the Board from the attitude adopted by Mr. Trimble. Mr. Trimble stated that he was only asked for his personal opinion, and not as a representative of the Board. Mr. Eobertson: As the Board's representative you should not have given it. It would have been more disgreet to have said nothing. The remarks that he had made only stultified the work done by the Committee. •Mr. Sladden thought that it would only liavo been fair that as Mr. Trimble had accepted tho position of Board's representative he should havie supported tho views of tho Board. Had his views been opposed to the Board he should have stated thus before accepting. Mr. Smith expressed his sorrow at the position that had arisen, more so as he had proposed Mr. Trimble as the Board's representative. Ho had, however, never heard Mr. Trimble exprew the views mentioned, which were a revelation. The fact that he had accepted nomination was sufficient reason why he should have done hi 3 utmost in the Board's interest, and that was to urge the Department to subsidise £ for £ any amount subscribed by the publicThe chairman could not see how Mr. Trimble eould justify tho advice that he had given the Minister. Mr. Trimble denied that he had given any advice. The chairman said that Mr. Trimble had told the Minister that he would noi make the grant at the present juncture. That had given the Minister tlie opportunity, he wanted. The 'Board had no idea that Mr. Trimble held the views expressed at that interview. Whenever the matter of building was discussed, Mr. Trimble never on any occasion suggested that this was not the proper time to build. If he had expressed these opinions the Board wouldyiot have appointed him as representative, and he could not see how Mr. Trimble could justify himself in making a statement to the Minister when he knew that it was contrary to the wishes and opinion of every other member of the Board. Mr. Webster thought that Mr. Trimble had made a great mistake in accepting tlie position. If he was not prepared to back the deputation right to the hilt his clear duty was to have refused nomination. He, however, elected to go as the Board's representative, and his clear duty was to have carried out their wishes to the letterMr. Foe expressed almost sorrow at Mr. Trimble's action, Mr. Trimble had sat at the meeting night after night and had never by any hint expressed his disapproval of the building scheme. Mr. Trimble had proved almost to be a Judas Iscariot. Saying what Mr. Trimble had done made the Minister withdraw the certainty of £IOOO. The Board had made one big blunder in sending Mr. Trimble, and it had cost them £IOOO- - was sorry to say so, but that was his candid opinion. Mr. Atkinson agreed with the remark of previous members, but considered that further discussion would do no good. Mr. Robertson said that the CitizenCommittee had already raised £2075 by public subscription, with more money in sight, and felt sore over the action of the Board's representative. Mr. Smith: Particularly after a strong point had been made regarding the unanimity of the people in the district in connection with the need for the building. . The chairman moved that this Board, having heard Mr. White's report, regrets that Mr. Trimble, the Board's representative on the public deputation to the Minister of Education, should have expressed opinions which are entirely contrary to the opinions and wishes of the members of tlie Board. Mr. Robertson, in seconding, regretted that Mr. Trimble had been so unwise. He did not think that the action had been done in malice prepense. The resolution wqs carried.

CENTRAL lIALL TO BE BUILT. The chairman stated that the Citizens' Committee had Md a meeting that afternoon at which it was reported that subscriptions had been received totalling £2075, and further subscriptions were coming in- Tlie Committee had passed a resolution authorising the Board to proceed with the erection of the Central Hall, they guaranteeing to find the money as required. On the motion of the chairman and Mr. Webster, it was resolved to accept Mi". Boon's tender of £2550 for the erection of the Central Hall, and to instruct the Board's architect to this efleet. Before the conclusion of the meeting Mr. Robertson moved that Mr- Trimble s expenses to Wellington be paid 'by the Bonn? Mr. Trimble stated that as the Board were so dissatisfied it would not be advisable to pay the expenses. Mr. Robertson stated that the expenses must be paid as a matter of principle. The resolution was carried.